Demons (episode)
A xenophobic faction of humanity threatens to undermine talks to form a new coalition of planets. Summary January 19, 2155 - In the Orpheus mining facility complex on Luna, Earth's moon, Paxton and Mercer confer on the health of a baby girl--a Vulcan-human hybrid. Meanwhile, on Earth, the NX-01 crew has been called home to appear at a meeting of human and alien delegates discussing the formation of a "Coalition of Planets". Everyone applauds after a speech by Nathan Samuels, presiding over the convention--everyone except Trip, whom Archer orders to clap. While Phlox remarks that he enjoyed Samuels' speech, the rest of the crew is dismayed by Samuels' failure to mention their contributions, without which the meeting would not be taking place. As the meeting adjourns and the crew breaks up, Samuels compliments Hoshi on improvements she has made to the universal translator. Travis is intercepted by Gannet Brooks, a reporter covering the event--and an old flame who still expresses romantic interest. Across the room, T'Pol confides to Archer that Trip had a point--the Enterprise crew was responsible for bringing the event together--just before a medical technician, Susan Khouri, approaches and gives her a vial containing a hair follicle. Khouri warns "they're going to kill her", then collapses, fatally wounded from a phase-pistol shot to the abdomen. Archer, Trip, T'Pol, and Reed join Phlox in the Enterprise Sickbay a while later, after Phlox has analyzed the hair follicle. DNA testing reveals that the hybrid child is Trip and T'Pol's offspring. Shortly, T'Pol is meditating in her quarters when Trip arrives to discuss the matter. T'Pol assures him she was never pregnant, yet somehow knows the child is theirs. Archer meets with Samuels elsewhere on the ship; Samuels refuses to let the news of the child out into public, afraid it will stir anti-alien sentiments which have been heightened since the Xindi attack the year before and fuel such factions as the Terra Prime movement, which could hurt the burgeoning coalition. Samuels urges Archer to let Starfleet conduct the legal investigation. However, on Archer's behest, Reed meets in San Francisco at night with Harris, the Section 31 agent, for information. Harris tells Reed that by agreeing to see him, Reed is acknowledging he still works for Section 31. According to Harris, Khouri was a member of Terra Prime, and if the crew can find the child, they'll find the answers to the mystery of its origin. In Paxton's office on the moon, Paxton and Mercer discuss Khouri's--and Mercer's--allegiances, where the child is concerned. Mercer is conflicted over Paxton's plans for the baby, but denies it. Paxton calls the child "an abomination" and claims "when the time comes, it will be treated as such". Paxton sends for Greaves after Mercer departs and tells him to put together "a team" and to meet him at the "third junction in one hour". On Earth, Archer pays Samuels a visit in the delegates' conference hall, where the Coridan ambassador argues with the Earth statesman. The Tellarites have been pushing for a trade embargo against the Orions, who have supposedly been attacking Tellarite freighters, which the ambassador dismisses as "Tellarite slander", citing that Coridan has traded with the Orions for centuries, and warns that his people will never agree to such sanctions. As Archer joins them, Samuels introduces him to the ambassador, who excuses himself to go discuss diplomatic affairs with his government. The Starfleet chief investigator has rejected Archer's request for a case file; Archer asks Samuels to intervene. After Samuels initially refuses, Archer reveals that he has learned Samuels was once a member of Terra Prime himself, which Samuels calls a mistake of youth, blaming a Denobulan pilot for his father's death in a flight accident. Samuels realizes he underestimated Archer and agrees to get him the case file. Gannet pays Travis a visit in his quarters; claims she's doing a story on Enterprise from the crew's perspective. They get into an argument over their past romantic relationship, but Travis agrees to give her a tour of the ship. In Sickbay, Trip discusses his doubts over whether T'Pol is telling the truth with Phlox, which Phlox dismisses as foolish. Trip says his father always wanted a granddaughter, which he bugged Trip's sister about constantly. Phlox points out that he got his wish. In his lunar complex office, Paxton watches a video recording of Colonel Greene, made two years after a cease-fire ended World War Three. Greaves enters; they discuss the moral implications of Greene's genocidal policies, before Greaves hands him a diskette containing a status report on the Vulcan-human child's condition. After Greaves leaves, Paxton self-administers a hypodermic injection to the neck. While Travis and Gannet tour the ship, rekindling their romance, elsewhere the crew discusses Khouri's autopsy from her case file. Phlox has found levels of growth hormone containing traces of myofibrilin, used in the Orpheus mining facility, a hotbed of Terra Prime activity. Reed says Travis had "a friend" in Orpheus who could smuggle in an undercover team; T'Pol and Tucker volunteer for the mission. At the same time, on the moon, miners remove rocks from what looks like a cave-in, and find Mercer's dead body buried beneath. While Trip and T'Pol search the mining tunnels, T'Pol informs him that she knows of his doubts. In Travis' quarters, his relationship with Gannet takes a steamy turn. They discuss goals; Travis considers settling down. On the bridge, Hoshi informs Reed of a glitch in the universal translator system. Back at Orpheus, Josiah introduces himself to Trip and invites him to a Terra Prime assembly. T'Pol joins Trip and tells him of Mercer's death. On the ship, Gannet is placed under arrest for spying--she's a member of Terra Prime. Trip and T'Pol's identities are discovered and they are taken hostage by members of Terra Prime. Paxton reveals that his mining facility is actually a warp-capable vessel when it launches, with Trip and T'Pol held captive onboard, and flies to Mars. Archer orders a pursuit course. Terra Prime seizes control of the Verteron Array on Mars, normally used to redirect comets, and uses it to fire a blast of verteron energy at Luna. Paxton issues a demand via subspace radio for all non-humans to leave the Sol System. Background Information Notes Episode is "To Be Continued". This is the first time we see Mars from the surface in Star Trek. Nitpick: The child's hair is not long enough to produce the sample given to T'Pol. Memorable Quotes "I'm sure history will reflect our contributions." -T'Pol Discussion Links and References Guest Stars * Johanna Watts as Gannet Brooks * Harry Groener as Nathan Samuels * Peter Weller as John Frederick Paxton * Peter Mensah as Daniel Greaves * Patrick Fischler as Mercer * Adam Clark as Josiah * Eric Pierpoint as Harris * Christine Romeo as Susan Khouri * Tom Bergeron as Coridan Ambassador * Steven Rankin as Colonel Greene References Andorians; Colonel Greene; comet; Coridans; Inter-species reproduction; Luna; Mars; Orions; Radiation sickness; Rigelians; San Francisco; Section 31; Terra Prime; Tellarites; United Earth Space Probe Agency; Universal Translator; World War III; Xenophobia; Xindi attack Category:ENT episodes